KARACHI, Nov 13: Owing to the negligence of the government functionaries, the entire education system has got paralysed, which needs a complete overhauling. The shortage of staff and lack of basic facilities is now a common problem in government schools, which are the main reasons of the deteriorating conditions of the institutions.
Baldia Town is no exception, where the number of high schools is so less that they cannot meet the needs of six lac population. Most of the secondary schools are located in densely populated areas, where private schools are also in abundance, but there is hardly any such school in outskirts of the town.
During a survey, it was observed that five out of six secondary schools are located in Union Council No 7, and only one in UC-5. The lower secondary schools have also been established very close to each other depriving the rest of population. Four of the seven girls lower secondary and elementary schools have been established in UC-4, two in UC-6, one in UC-7, while the rest of union councils have no girls lower secondary and elementary school.
Similar is the situation with boys lower secondary and elementary schools, as four have been set up in UC-4, one in UC-5 and two in UC-6, while the boys secondary schools are only four and all of them have been established in UC-4.
Ittehad town and adjoining localities have no secondary school, which is vast area and the population is fast spreading. Majority of the people belonging to lower class cannot afford to educate their children in private schools. People say that at least one government primary school in each union council should be upgraded to secondary level so that they could get their children educated.
The government had planned to make Lasipara Boys’ Secondary School, located in UC-7, a model school with allocation of necessary funds. However, it was learnt during a visit that there was neither electricity nor toilet and water facilities in the school.
Running without a head master since long, the school has 14 teachers for 50 students. In the absence of fans, furniture, library and laboratory, teachers say that quality education could not be ensured.
Area people say that the school had been playing a vital role in the realms of academic activities, but growing activities of anti-social elements in the area adversely affected its functioning. Drug addicts have broken its walls to enter the building whenever they want without any restriction, as the school has been without any watchman for the last one decade.
They said that the building had been repaired thrice, but drug addicts damaged it repeatedly and took away everything the school had.
The office of head master and staffroom were set on fire by unknown persons and the iron grills, doors and windows were taken away. Teachers said that the incidents had been reported to the concerned quarters even to the police, elected people of the area, but to no avail.
They said that there was no system of funding, which could be utilised for hiring a temporary watchman and they had the only option to keep the school’s record and other important documents at their homes.
The Govt Girls Secondary School (MH Baldia), located at Sector C/3 Saeedabad, is a leading school of the town, where the number of students is 1,035. But there are only 10 teachers and classrooms are over crowded.
According to the government rules about students-teacher ratio, the school should get at least 15 teachers more.
The school was established in 1972, but its statement of new expenditures has not been revised. There is no permanent watchman and sweeper and the employees are working on temporary basis. The books of home economics and Islamic studies have so far not been provided in the free sets. The computer and science laboratories have been established, but funds are not provided for purchasing of the chemicals.
It is the only leading girls’ school of the town, which has showed 100 per cent result and that is why the provincial government has also recognised services of the school’s management.
The Govt Boys’ Secondary School, Anglo Urdu, is located in Gujrat Colony. There are 13 teachers for 317 students. The students of different classes have been divided into 13 sections, where three teachers are required more. The school has no sweeper and watchman.
The head master told this reporter that he had already asked the concerned people for repair of the furniture, doors and windows. He said that iron grills should be fixed in the corridors so that the ceiling fans could be installed in classrooms.
The Govt Girls’ Secondary School, Anjam Colony, is also located in the UC-7, where the number of students is 645, while the teachers are 22. There is no watchman in the school.
The head mistress told Dawn that three teachers for the subjects of chemistry, biology, and mathematics were urgently required. She disclosed that owing to shortage of furniture the students of six sections of different classes were using mats in the classrooms. The gas connection has not been given so far which affects the students of home economics in particular. The head mistress pointed out that the books had not been provided in accordance with the school’s demand.
The Govt Girls’ Elementary School, Mohammad Hussein, located in UC-4, has only two teachers for 114 students. Sindhi language teacher, sweeper, watchman have not been posted there so far. Toilet and water facilities are also not available.
There is another govt girls’ elementary school in the same compound where 260 students are studying, but toilets and electricity facilities are not available. The entire building structure is near to collapse.
The head mistress said that the correspondence about the damaged building had been continuing since 2002 and the officials concerned had also visited it, but no practical steps for its reconstruction had been taken.
The Govt Girls’ Elementary School, located at Shamozai Mohallah in UC-6, has seven teachers for 264 students. The school has neither watchman nor sweeper.
There is also a shortage of furniture in classrooms and the existing furniture has also been damaged by termites. The building structure needs renovation.
KARACHI, Nov 13: Owing to the negligence of the government functionaries, the entire education system has got paralysed, which needs a complete overhauling. The shortage of staff and lack of basic facilities is now a common problem in government schools, which are the main reasons of the deteriorating conditions of the institutions.
